Judge for yourself. Read these carefully. Do these quotes seem to be remarks from some sincere Christians eager to meet Jesus, or do they rather clearly state the end of the world is coming within a certain time frame?
What do you think? Please post your reactions below.
1925: …the great jubilee cycle is due to begin in 1925. At that time the earthly phase of the kingdom shall be recognized.... Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old… [Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, pp. 89, 90]
What do you think? Please post your reactions below.
1874: "Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present since October 1874, A.D., according to the testimony of the prophets, to those who have ears to hear it: and the formal inauguration of his kingly office dates from April 1878, A.D." [Studies in Scriptures Series IV (1897) p.621]
“the battle of the great day of God Almighty--The date of the close of that "battle" is definitely marked in Scripture as October 1914. It is already in progress, its beginning dating from October, 1874." [Zion's Watch Tower 1892 January 15 p.23]
1877: Christ's kingdom will hold full sway over the earth in 1914; the Jews, as a people, will be restored to God's favor; the "saints" will be carried to heaven. [The Three Worlds (1907)]
1878: "The year A.D. 1878, being the parallel of his assuming power and authority in the type, clearly marks the time for the actual assuming of power as King of kings, by our present, spiritual, invisible Lord...." [Studies in the Scriptures - Thy Kingdom Come p.239]
1891: 1914 will be "the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men.” [The Time Is At Hand (1891)]
1914: "But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble. [Zion's Watch Tower 1894 July 15 p.226]
"…1914; at the end of which, Babylon the great, will have fallen, and the "dragon" be bound: that is, the nations will be subdued, and "the prince of this world cast out.""[Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World (1877) p.143]
"…with the end of A.D. 1914, what God calls Babylon, and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as already shown in prophecy." [Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come (1891) p.153]
"October, 1914, will witness the full end of Babylon, "as a great millstone cast into the sea," utterly destroyed as a system." [Watch Tower 1911 June 15 p.190]
"…with the end of A.D. 1914, what God calls Babylon, and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as already shown in prophecy." [Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come (1891) p.153]
"October, 1914, will witness the full end of Babylon, "as a great millstone cast into the sea," utterly destroyed as a system." [Watch Tower 1911 June 15 p.190]
"True, it is expecting great things to claim, as we do, that within the coming twenty-six years all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved …. we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God, will be accomplished at the end of A. D. 1914…Be not surprised, then, when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the setting up of the Kingdom of God is already begun, that it is pointed out in prophecy as due to begin the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that the "battle of the great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced." [Studies In the Scriptures Series II - The Time Is At Hand (1889) pp.99, 101]
"…we have seen that God has a set time for every feature of his plan, and that we are even now in this "Day of Vengeance," which is a period of forty years; that it began in October, 1874, and will end in October, 1914 (very shortly)." [Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance -pp.546, 547]
"…we have seen that God has a set time for every feature of his plan, and that we are even now in this "Day of Vengeance," which is a period of forty years; that it began in October, 1874, and will end in October, 1914 (very shortly)." [Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance -pp.546, 547]
“…not until the full end of Gentile Times (October, A.D. 1914) should we expect the earthly phase of God's Kingdom; for in giving a lease of dominion to the Gentiles until that date God made no mistake and his plans alter not.” [Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance pp.624, 625]
"…A. D. 1914, when the day of wrath will be passed, and the resurrection and return of the "whole house of Israel" due." [Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World (1877) p.166 ]
"The beginning of the earthly phase of the Kingdom in the end of A.D. 1914 will, we understand, consist wholly of the resurrected holy ones of olden time-from John the Baptizer back to Abel-"Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the holy prophets." [Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance p.625]
"The beginning of the earthly phase of the Kingdom in the end of A.D. 1914 will, we understand, consist wholly of the resurrected holy ones of olden time-from John the Baptizer back to Abel-"Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the holy prophets." [Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance p.625]
“That the deliverance of the saints must take place some time before 1914 is manifest…” [Studies in the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come 1908 Ed.]
1915: “That the deliverance of the saints must take place very soon after 1914 is manifest…” [Studies in the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come 1915 Edition]
1916: World War I will terminate in Armageddon and the rapture of the "saints". [Watch Tower, 1916]
1917: In 1918, Christendom will go down as a system to oblivion and be succeeded by revolutionary governments. God will "destroy the churches wholesale and the church members by the millions." Church members will "perish by the sword of war, revolution and anarchy." The dead will lie unburied. In 1920 all earthly governments will disappear, with worldwide anarchy prevailing. [The Finished Mystery, 1917]
1920: Messiah's kingdom will be established in 1925 and bring worldwide peace. God will begin restoring the earth. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful patriarchs will be resurrected to perfect human life and be made princes and rulers, the visible representatives of the New Order on earth. Those who showed themselves obedient to God will never die. [Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920]
1922: The anti-typical "jubilee" that will mark God's intervention in earthly affairs will take place "probably the fall" of 1925. [Watch Tower, May 15, 1922]
1924: God's restoration of Earth will begin "shortly after" October 1, 1925. Jerusalem will be made the world's capital. Resurrected "princes" such as Abel, Noah, Moses and John the Baptist will give instructions to their subjects around the world by radio, and airplanes will transport people to and from Jerusalem from all parts of the globe in just "a few hours". [The Way to Paradise booklet, Watch Tower Society, 1924]
1925: …the great jubilee cycle is due to begin in 1925. At that time the earthly phase of the kingdom shall be recognized.... Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old… [Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, pp. 89, 90]
1938: In 1938, Armageddon is too close for marriage or child bearing. [Face the Facts, 1938]
1941: There are only "months" remaining until Armageddon. [The Watchtower, Sep. 15, 1941, p. 288]
1942: Armageddon is "immediately before us.” [The Watchtower, May 1, 1942, p. 139]
1966: It will be 6000 years since man's creation in the fall of 1975 and it will be "appropriate" for Christ's thousand-year reign to begin at that time. [Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God, Watch Tower Society, 1966, pp. 29–35]
Time is "running out, no question about that.” The "immediate future" is "certain to be filled with climactic events ... within a few years at most", the final parts of Bible prophecy relating to the "last days" will undergo fulfillment as Christ's reign began. [Jehovah's Witnesses – Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society]
1969: Human existence will not last long enough for young people to grow old; the world system will end "in a few years." Young Witnesses are told not to bother pursuing tertiary education for this reason. [Awake!, May 22, 1969, p. 15]
1974: There is just a "short time remaining before the wicked world's end" and Witnesses are commended for selling their homes and property to "finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer (ministry) service.” [Kingdom Ministry, Watch Tower Society, May 1974, page 3]
1975: Armageddon has to be over, and paradise introduced in, or earlier than, 1975. [The Watchtower (1968 May 1 p. 271) and Awake! (1968 October 8 p. 14) and Aid To Bible Understanding (1971 p. 538)]
Many currently alive will witness Armageddon during their natural lifetimes. [Watchtower 1965 March 15 p. 177; Awake! 1968 October 8 p. 13-14; January 1982 Awake!; Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1920)]
1984: There are "many indications" that "the end" is closer than the end of the 20th century. [The Watchtower, Mar 1, 1984, pp. 18-19]
1999: Mathematical calculations indicate Armageddon will come by the end of the century. [Let God Be True (1946)]
Shortly within our 20th century, the “battle in the day of Jehovah” (Armageddon) will begin against the modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom. [The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah-How? 1971 p. 216]
With confidence in the vision’s complete fulfillment during the decades of this 20th century the anointed remnant of the bride class have never let up in saying “Come!” Every effort has been made to broadcast the message to all nations. [1989 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses p. 3]
The preaching work will be completed within the 20th century, with Armageddon to immediately follow. [The Watchtower 1989 January 1 p. 12]
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